


21

by yeaka



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: M/M, Spoilers, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 20:46:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17967761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Roxas revels in his new reality and Lea.





	21

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Blue_Q](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Q/gifts).



> A/N: Fill for Blue_Q’s “Axel and Roxas finally being able to be together for the first time after finally being recompleted. [...] both of them reverently thinking “oh my god I can’t believe I finally get to touch you”” request on [my dreamwidth](https://yeaka.dreamwidth.org/1190.html).
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Kingdom Hearts or any of its contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

He stops around the middle of the woods, if one can even call it that—the short stretch of trees between the gates of Twilight Town and the old, abandon mansion are nothing compared to the sprawling forests of other worlds. He remembers them now—every odd nook and cranny. But he likes this world best. In a way, it’s _home_.

But then, Roxas could feel at home anywhere, so long as he had Axel and Xion with him. He does now. When he stops moving, Axel pauses too. He turns back to look at Roxas, and the sight of his unblemished face is a stark reminder: this is _Lea_. _Axel_ is already habit, but Roxas has a lot of old habits he wants to break. For starters, he’s not wearing the black cloak anymore. Lea isn’t either—he stands before Roxas in tight jeans and a checkered jacket, looking wonderfully unique and free. They still have special clothes that can give them powers, but they can also just wear _whatever_ , and that’s such a luxury. There are so many things that have changed. Sometimes it’s all too much: Roxas is still processing.

He has a particularly difficult chunk of _newness_ when it comes to Lea, and he knows he should work that out before they rejoin Xion. She’s still in the city, looking at apartments, while he and Lea cleared this back section of Heartless and checked on the manor. Now they should be heading off to find her, but Roxas isn’t moving. Lea tilts his head and prods, “Something bothering you, bud?”

His _voice_. Roxas has met so many people now. _Real, whole_ people. But Lea seems to have more personality than all of them and did even when he was a Nobody. He’s so _interesting_. His voice is low and teasing and rumbles through Roxas so sweetly, bringing in a rush of new _emotion_. Roxas doesn’t know how to handle it. And it’s even worse in Twilight Town, because the perpetual evening sun washes Lea in an angelic glow, making his peach skin shine and his red hair glimmer. Roxas never realized how handsome he was before.

Well, Roxas always knew it. But it didn’t _mean_ anything when they were Nobodies. It couldn’t have. It took so long for Roxas to even understand their _friendship_ , and now his feelings make those old ones pale in comparison. They can actually cry over one another—get choked up and hug. Hugs mean more. They’re poignant and powerful. Roxas just wants to touch Lea all the time. 

Lea sing-songs, “Hellooo, Roxy? Anyone in there?”

Normally, Roxas would laugh and playfully punch Lea for that. This time, while they’re alone and he’s stewing in emotion, Roxas just walks over. He reaches up to cup Lea’s face, having to stand on his tiptoes to get a proper look. Lea’s wildly tall. Lea’s green eyes go wide as Roxas gently strokes his cheeks, trailing over the spots where the upside-down teardrops used to be. Roxas mumbles while he does it, because he knows he’s being weird, “Sorry... s’just... cool to be able to touch you again, y’know?” Lea makes a short noise of laughter and smiles warmly. Roxas can feel it in his hands. 

“What do you think?” Lea asks, deliberately nuzzling into Roxas’ grip. “Better without, or should I get them tattooed back on?”

Roxas shrugs—Lea looks good either way. It’s strange to think that. It’s strange to have a working heart of his own and feel it beat twice as fast when Lea’s around him. 

When he drops his hands from Lea’s face, Lea finds them, intertwining their fingers. Lea doesn’t even make fun of him for it. It’s all still fresh, and they’re all still sentimental.

Roxas even blurts out, “Did you miss me?”

“ _Pfft_ , are you kidding?” Lea grins like Roxas has told the joke of the century, and that makes Roxas feel _so good_. He hates that he left Lea alone, but he’s so grateful he was wrong—people _did_ care when he left. “You have no idea, Roxas. I thought about you all the time. Dreamed of you. Hey, I even wrote a cheesy letter to you, like Kairi did with Sora.”

Roxas laughs, wishing he’d gotten that letter and hoping Lea’s still got it somewhere. Lea laughs too, just like old times, without the ice cream and the clocktower. They’ll do that later when they meet up with Xion.

First, Roxas has to express what’s really bubbling up inside. He doesn’t know how to do that with words, so he just lifts up on his toes again and quickly kisses Lea.

It’s over in a flash. Just a second or two of fleeting skin-on-skin. He barely even has time to appreciate how soft Lea’s lips are before he’s sinking back down and blushing up a storm. He opens his mouth to try to explain but doesn’t have anything to say—he has almost no experience with verbalizing feelings. So he just lamely shrugs. Lea blinks down at him, looking more surprised than anything. 

Then he’s darting down faster than Roxas could, and he’s on Roxas again, this time kissing harder and longer, so much so that Roxas is almost knocked backwards—Lea has to catch him and hold onto his arms. 

As soon as Lea pulls back, Roxas is lurching forward. He’s flushed and breathing hard, completely exhilarated, and he enflames that by wrapping his arms around Lea and hugging him tight. Lea returns the embrace, cocooning Roxas up in safety and love. 

Feeling silly but giddy, Roxas mutters, “’M never letting go.”

Lea chuckles, “Please don’t,” and holds on.


End file.
